It is Not a Weakness
by Blackfire 18
Summary: She pushed Syndrome from harms way at the expense of her own life. She is in turn, repaid with doubt and distress. Mirage reflects...


**It is Not a Weakness**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Incredibles, or any of the characters there within. **

**Warning: Contains spoilers...**

_Go ahead._

Mirage shut her eyes tightly as the crisply vivid memory seared through her mind.

_Crush her. I will lose an assistant, but you—you have nothing to lose!_

She was trembling in her chair, utterly sickened and haunted by the feeling of betrayal. She had risked her life for him and he found it, at that moment, to take the gamble and play on Mr. Incredible's pained emotions? And for what; some infantile fantasy of vengeance on one once admired and then made nemesis? What had he to prove? Mr. Incredible was at his every mercy; and for that split second she had intervened, Mirage was at _his_.

She had sacrificed so much for this organization—extended hours, extra filing, arranging databases, aided in omnidroid constructions and had lured so many to their deaths. But when she stood to face her own, all of her support had fallen away. She teetered on the caving brim of death and where Syndrome could have saved her, he did not.

Her trust and respect of him had shattered, the same instant her body had collided with the floor. His words had hurt her; a poison-tipped arrow to strike her heart. His inaction left a disturbing shock of doubt to forever burn in her memory. She had exchanged her life for his and he had taunted the enraged Super to take her life.

Even now, she could still feel Mr. Incredible's death grip crushing her ribcage; bruising her fragile arms; slowly constricting every breath from her. She could still feel his racing heart beating violently against her chest and the hot, rapid breath of a desperate man on her neck. The wild glint in his eyes and deadly intonation of his voice surely sealed her fate.

And where Syndrome could have put a stop to it, he did not.

Mirage released the pen she had held in her trembling hand, too shaken to write down reports of the terminated Incredible family.

He had children. His children were aboard that plane. Yes, she had agreed to destroy the Supers—but never children! This went beyond the organizations charter; beyond her own sense of human morality. Though she pleaded her sentiments to Syndrome as briefly as she dared, he silenced her with the slice of one hand through the air. He was enjoying the pain of his once "all-admired" Super and it was not her place to interrupt.

His prospect of glory over Mr. Incredible had come at last and he was already prepared to gloat over his genius. Mirage stood by Syndrome's side in silence, unable to stem the feel of a sinking guilt that settled around her heart.

As her employer turned, laughing confidently of his triumph, Mirage saw a gleam of rage flicker in Mr. Incredible's eyes. Thinking immediately for the welfare of her employer and companion, she pushed him out of reach and immediately had the breath knocked out of her lungs as Mr. Incredible seized her instead of Syndrome.

_I'll crush her._

_Whoa, that seems pretty dark of you._

_It will be easy; like snapping a toothpick._

_Go ahead._

Mirage physically cringed at the memory of the words as they reverberated again and again in her mind.

_Go ahead._

_Go ahead._

_Go ahead._

She once again heard the impact of her collision with the floor, too shocked to move.

..._Even when you had nothing to lose. You are weak._

Mirage felt a terrible burning sensation in her stomach; it swiftly replaced the feeling of shock and disbelief for a horrible anger. A maddening resentment and revile like she had never known; growing, twisting, churning, until she could control it no longer.

**You are weak.**

"Caring about life is not weakness." She spoke coldheartedly, allowing her voice to betray her anger.

Syndrome tore his eyes from his glorious rocket that would bring about his infamy and splendor to his distressed assistant; staring uncomprehending. Suddenly his words in the prison chamber were coming back to him.

"Oh, you're still upset about what happened in the cell block."

His approaching footsteps which usually filled Mirage with pleasure, now only filled her with revulsion.

"And to disregard it," she continued coldly, "is not strength."

Syndrome was beside her now, purring in a velvety voice he reserved only for her.

"Oh now darling, I had everything under control..."

His hand brushed a few lose strands of sleek, white-blonde hair behind her ear. He caressed her cheek as he tenderly tilted her head back towards his and his lips brushed the corner of hers. Temper and contempt rising, Mirage indignantly pushed him away. She stood swiftly and the chair which she had occupied squealed as it rolled away, offended.

"The next time you decide to gamble, do it with your own life." She snapped and forcibly shoved the half-finished report and other papers into his chest. She strode off quickly, never once looking back, but partly expecting him to berate her all the way down the hall. Only silence graced her ears.

_Good_. Perhaps he could understand now the betrayal she felt; the hurt and mistrust she bore; the frustration of treachery in her mind.

Mr. Incredible, she realized, was stronger than Syndrome. Where her employer caved to hideous and unnecessary temptations, Mr. Incredible demonstrated a level of strength and decency she had never known of a man.

She leaned trembling slightly against the chill of the steel wall, permitting herself a moment to breathe fully. Mirage shut her eyes once more, though this time to savor that she was alive and that there stood before her another path to tread. Power had always been a weakness of hers. She loved the feel of it around her, within her. Syndrome gave it to her wholly and so she had joined him more than willingly; but had she been too blind to see that he was still a child at heart. A child chasing foolish dreams and she had fallen prey to his whims, fallen prey to his deadly game. Her near death experience had roused something in the both of them: for Syndrome it was a betrayal; a touch of childish revenge having so at long last been fulfilled. For herself it was an awakening. She had tread the dark path for so long now, she had led herself to believe it was not as obscure as it seemed. Mr. Incredible had opened her eyes by lighting another path; one she had so long ago desired to take but thought had been lost to her forever.

Her days as assistant were of no meaning to her now. She had resolved to aid Mr. Incredible in his endeavor in any way she could, even if, and at this she chuckled ironically to herself, it cost her life.

Rushing footsteps shook her from her reverie and for one instant she felt fearful it would be Syndrome come at last to reprimand her—but no, it was only a soldier.

"Ms. Mirage!" he saluted her, panting and jaw slack as he reached her.

"Yes, Captain?" she asked, curious of his huffing state.

"There are Supers on the island; two children and a woman. It has been confirmed that they are the Incredibles!"

Mirage stood numb for a moment. His family was alive? How could that be? The missiles had been reported to have a direct hit to the government plane. Scouts had been sent out in submarines to investigate the jet, though she deemed it unnecessary, the missiles never failed. The plane was accounted sunken, to forever rest in the depths of the ocean. Yet the family had managed to survive the impact of both missile and sea...truly his family was indeed _incredible_.

Her mind raced with possible outcomes and the consequences of each action to take before she settled for one brilliant initiative.

"You are certain?" she asked slightly more harshly than she had intended, for this would make or break her of her resolution. The soldier straightened his posture uncomfortably at the icy stare of the sultry woman.

"Yes ma'am."

"Thank you, Captain. You may resume your post." Mirage began to tread purposefully forward before the Captain hailed her.

"But...Ms. Mirage, Syndrome must also be informed of this intelligence."

Mirage paused in her stride, returning to the side of the soldier to speak in soft, cautioning tones. "Of course, but not at this instant; he is rather upset and to tell you quite honestly Captain," she leaned irresistibly forward to whisper, "any other unfavorable news may affect your title as Captain."

The soldier stood straight and saluted Mirage once more, stammering as he went.

"T-thank you f-for the information, Ms. Mirage."

"And likewise." She smiled serenely as the soldier marched away.

This was her chance to start over then, on a new path of redemption. Throwing only one glance of contempt over her shoulder toward the Rocket Aviation chamber, she made her way forward to the cell blocks to help a friend in dire need of her aid.

* * *

**A/N: If it has not already been made apparent via reviews and other impulsive obsessive nature—I loved Mirage! Her character was marvelous on all accounts and she deserved so much more appreciation than is advertised. Because I am just crazy, I did some background research to only come up empty handed for poor Mirage. (I suppose I shouldn't expect _too_ much because the movie only just got out...lol! I'm still sensing favor on everybody else in the movie as far as advertisement goes!) I was then inspired to write a fanfiction on her. (I adored the movie by the way...just everything about it. Animation, music, character development (whatever there was of it)); it was a brilliant movie! I saw it twice!)**

**Anyway, I hoped everyone enjoyed it!! Please review!**


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